Safety pin



1958 E. SCHEEMAEKER 2,363,199

SAFETY PIN Filed Aug. 31, 1956 IN V EN TOR. G. 4 5/14/45 SC'f/EEMAEAEE A T'T ZIVEYS United States Patent SAFETY PIN Emile Scheemaeker, Howard, R. I. Application August 31, 1956, Serial No. 607,350 3Claims. (Cl. 24-156) This invention relates to an improved safety pin of the type especially suitable for pinning babies .diapers.

The primary Object of the inventionis to provide more eflicieut safety pins of this kind which have more re liable and secure means for retaining the pointed ends of the front legs of the pieces once engaged in the heads of the pieces, the retaining means being in the forms of slots in the heads which include pocket portions into which the front leg points engage as the final step in the closing of the pins and from which the points can be removed only by special manipulations which cannot normally be produced by strains and stresses incident to use of the pins in securing diapers, for example.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety pin of the character indicated above which including in conjunction with a pocket portion in its head slot, a spring pressed detent which extends across the slot and prevents emergence of the front leg point from the pocket portion, unless and until manually retracted.

A further object of the invention is to provide safety pins of the character indicated, which can be made in attractive, rugged, and serviceable forms at relatively low cost, are easily used, and are highly acceptable for the purpose intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a safety pin incorporating the features of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional vertical transverse view taken substantially on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention, partly broken away; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 55 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first to Figures 1 to 3, the safety pin therein shows, and indicated generally at 10, comprises straight front and back legs 12 and 14, respectively, which are spaced and connected at their rear ends by a resilient helix 16 of any suitable character which urges the legs 12 and 14 apart and maintains the same in a single plane, indicated at 18 in Figure 2. The front leg 12 has a pointed forward free end 20, and the free forward end 22 of the back leg 14 has fixed thereon a rigid head 24, whose sides have thereon markings, such as the initials of the infant, a trademark, etc. The head 24 may be constructed of any suitable material, plastic, stainless steel, etc.

The head 24 is substantially oval in cross-section and has transversely curved convex front and back longitudinal edges 26 and 27. The forward end portion of the back leg 14 enters the head and is embedded therein near the back edge 27 in the plane 18.

2,863,199 Patented Dec. 9, 1958 ice A convoluted retaining slot 28 for the free end 20 of the front leg 12, opens through the front edge 26 of the head 24 and through the concavely curved rear end 30 of the head 24, and extends part way forwardly in the head 24. The slot 28 comprises a short laterally outwardly curved entrance portion 44 opening through the front edge 26 of the head24 close to the central plane of the head, which continues into a straight portion 40 which parallels the adjacent side 41 of the head and is of relativelygreat length, and which continues in a laterally inwardly and reversely curved arcuate portion 38. The arcuate portion 38 terminates in a short laterally inwardly angled portion 46 which opens into the adjacent side of a pocket portion 48 which is closed except for the entrance .thereinto provided between its ends by the angled entrance portion 46. The pocket portion 48 is parallel to the straight portion 40 and is in the central plane 18 .of the head 24. At ,the intersection of the slot portions 44 and 40, the laterally outward side wall has a recess 42. The free end 20 of the front leg 12 is passed through the slot portion 44 into the recess 42 and is thence forced along the straight portion 40, around the arcuate portion 38, and through the entrance portion 46 into the pocket portion 48 where it is released, to be urged by the helix 16 into engagement with the front end 49 of the pocket portion.

Because the helix 16 tends to hold the front and back legs 12 and 14 in the same plane, it is necessary in releasing the front leg 12 from the slot 28 to exert both compressive force and lateral force on the leg 12 to get the leg 12 out of the pocket portion 48 through the entrance portion 46, and into the arcuate portion 38, preliminary to working the leg through the portions 40 and 44. Because of this, no strains on or other displacements of the front leg 12 ordinarily encountered in the use of the safety are capable of opening the safety pin and injuriously exposing the point 20 of the leg 12.

The modified form of safety pin shown in Figures 4 and 5, and indicated generally at 100, comprises front and back legs 102 and 104 connected and spaced at one end by a resilient helix 106 which maintains the legs 102 and 104 in substantially the same plane 108, in Figure 5, and urges the same apart.

The front leg 102 has a pointed forward free end 116 and the forward free end 112 of the back leg 104 is fixed in a head 114 which is similar in shape and arrangement to the head 24 in Figures 1 to 3.

The head 114 incorporates a retaining slot 116 for the free end of the front leg which comprises a long straight portion 122 which opens at 120 at one side of the front edge 118 of the head. The portion 122 continues in a laterally inwardly directed reverse bend arcuate portion 126 which terminates in a straight pocket portion 124 which parallels the portion 122 and has a closed terminal end 125.

For precluding vagrant emergence of the point of the leg 102 from the open end of the pocket portion 124, a detent assembly, generally designated 128, is provided, which comprises a pocket which opens at one end into the arcuate portion 126 and a detent 134 is engaged at one end in the socket 130 and has its other end projected across the arcuate portion 126 by a spring 132 in the socket. The detent 134 has thereon a lateral pin 136 extending laterally outwardly therefrom through a slot 138 opening through the side 137 of the head 114. The pin 136 terminates in an enlarged head 139 by means of which the pin 136 can be operated to retract the de tent 134 to enable the front leg 102 to be moved out of the pocket portion 124 of the slot 116 into the straight portion 122 thereof and withdrawn from the head 114.

The foregoing is considered illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety pin comprising straight front and back legs having forward and rearward ends, a resilient helix spacing and connecting the rearward ends of the legs and urging the legs away from each other, said front leg having a point on its forward end, a head having opposite sides and front and back longitudinal edges and a rearward end, the forward end of the back leg being secured in the head along and near said back edge, a retaining slot in the head on the point of the front leg opening through said rearward end of the head, said slot comprising a long straight portion close to and paralleling one side of the head and opening at one end through said front edge of the head, the other end of said straight portion continuing in a laterally inwardly directed reverse bend arcuate portion, said slot further comprising a 4 pocket portion located in the central plane of the head, into which said arcuate portion opens.

2. A safety pin according to claim 1, wherein retaining means is provided in association with said arcuate portion and said pocket portion serving to preclude vagrant emergence of the front leg point from said pocket portion.

3. A safety pin according to claim 1, wherein retaining means is provided in association with said arcuate portion and said pocket portion serving to preclude vagrant emergence of the front leg point from said pocket portion, said retaining means comprising an angled entrance portion of said arcuate portion which opens into a side of the pocket portion at a point intermediate the ends of the pocket portion, the ends of the pocket portion being closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

